The trooper pulled over the van and as he approached, the driver, identified as Michael J. Penny, 27, of Auburn, was bent down. The trooper believed Mr. Penny was hiding or getting something.

A smell of marijuana allegedly wafted out of the van. When the trooper asked for driver's license, Mr. Penny didn't have one. His license appears to be suspended.

Mr. Penny allegedly handed the trooper his state identification card, which was tucked into a wad of $20 bills wrapped in a bundle. The wad of cash raised Trooper Figueiredo's suspicion, knowing cash wrapped that way is an earmark of the drug dealing trade, state police said.

During a search of the vehicle, authorities allegedly found a scale, cellophane wrappers and what appeared to be marijuana. A plastic shopping bag hidden under the bed in the rear of the van allegedly had $12,560 inside.

"The money was packaged in the same manner as the wad of cash found on Penny's person," state police said. "The packaging was again, consistent with the sale of narcotics. Penny did not want to speak about where he obtained the money, other than to say that it was his."

A further search of the van revealed more packaging equipment. A state police dog concentrated on the money, apparently alerting the troopers to drug residue on the cash.

State police seized the money, determining there was probable to suspect the money was part of drug distribution. Mr. Penny was charged with driving with a suspended license, subsequence offense.